Rev. Dr. Richard Tin-Wo Cheung, President of the Bible Seminary of Hong Kong, is widely recognized for his deep roots in Reformed theology. What many do not know, however, is that he also has a strong Pentecostal and charismatic background.

In a two-hour interview, the soft-spoken and gentle Dr. Cheung came across more like a traditional evangelical pastor than a typical charismatic leader. Yet his thoughtful reflections on the charismatic movement and his unique faith journey—spanning both evangelical and charismatic circles—make him a bridge figure in Hong Kong’s Christian community.

From Traditional Roots to Pentecostal Faith

Dr. Cheung grew up in traditional evangelical churches such as the Tsung Tsin Mission and the China Congregational Church. Later, he joined a Pentecostal denomination—the Foursquare Gospel Church.

“I grew up attending the Tsung Tsin Mission, but because I lived far away, I often went to the China Congregational Church instead. After I made a personal decision for Christ, I began attending a Pentecostal church—the Foursquare Gospel Church,” he recalled.

The Foursquare Gospel Church is one of the three major denominations of the first-wave Pentecostal movement. But when he joined in the mid-1970s, Hong Kong’s Pentecostal churches were under severe criticism from traditional congregations.

“In the 1960s, a famous Cantonese film star, Mui Yee (Kiang Wan-yee), was involved in a church that took an extreme charismatic stance, causing huge controversy. Charismatic believers were harshly criticized and even regarded as heretical. When I joined the Foursquare Church around 1975, it was during a time when Pentecostal churches were being suppressed by traditional churches,” he said.

As a result, many Pentecostal churches had lost their charismatic emphasis. Apart from occasionally mentioning the Holy Spirit, there was little talk of tongues or Spirit baptism. “These Pentecostal churches were actually quite traditional at that time,” Cheung said.

When he entered a conservative evangelical seminary later on, his Pentecostal background drew attention.

“They asked me many questions about the role of the Holy Spirit and Spirit baptism,” he recalled.

Even his internship placement was affected.

“The seminary couldn’t arrange for me to serve full-time in a church because many refused to accept someone from a Pentecostal background. They were afraid I might ‘corrupt’ their members,” he said with a smile.
He eventually found an internship, but it was limited to administrative work such as translation and editing, away from direct pastoral ministry.

After graduation, Dr. Cheung served for several years in the Foursquare Gospel Church. Yet even there, charismatic expressions were nearly absent. “We were no different from traditional evangelical churches. We had heard stories from the older generation about past revivals and healings, but none of that was happening when I served,” he said.

Rediscovering the Charismatic Dimension

A turning point came when a new American missionary became district supervisor and questioned why the denomination had lost its Pentecostal character. “He began teaching us again about the work of the Holy Spirit,” Cheung recalled.

“At first, I argued with him a lot. I raised many objections. But he encouraged me to study the Bible for myself. He said, ‘Don’t just listen to what others say—read Scripture.’”

Cheung resolved that if the denomination returned to a strong Pentecostal emphasis that he could not accept theologically, he would leave. However, through personal Bible study, he became convinced that emphasizing the work of the Holy Spirit was biblically sound.
“Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, and now the Holy Spirit is the One who is with us. The Spirit is another Counselor, replacing Jesus’ earthly presence. So it is right to emphasize the Holy Spirit,” he said.

Because the Foursquare Church did not teach that speaking in tongues was the sole evidence of Spirit baptism, he stayed and was ordained as a pastor. “In fact, at that time, apart from our supervisor, none of the pastors had a Pentecostal theological background. The whole denomination was still very evangelical.”

It wasn’t until he attended international Foursquare conferences that he first experienced worship through choruses, speaking in tongues, and other charismatic expressions—broadening his spiritual horizon.

The Charismatic Movement in Hong Kong

Dr. Cheung explained that the charismatic movement developed in three waves.
“The first wave was the Pentecostal movement, emphasizing revival and the work of the Holy Spirit—represented by the Church of God, the Assemblies of God, and the Foursquare Gospel Church. The second wave came in the 1960s, known as the ‘Charismatic Movement,’ when people within traditional denominations began to experience the Holy Spirit. The third wave in the 1980s emphasized ‘power evangelism,’ focusing on healing and revival,” he said.

In Hong Kong, the 1970s were marked by resistance—charismatics were viewed as heretical, and Pentecostal churches became conservative. In the 1980s, traditional hymn-singing still dominated worship. But around 1987, with the rise of the third wave, attitudes began to change.

Evangelical leaders like Dr. John Yuen-Yuen Choi (Choi Yuen Yuen) became more open to charismatic experiences, influenced by figures such as John White, Jack Deere, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

Jack Deere, a former Old Testament professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, became a prominent charismatic theologian and even visited Hong Kong, inspiring a generation of evangelical leaders. Lloyd-Jones’ book Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit also had a deep impact on the Chinese church.

Revival preachers like Rodney Howard-Browne and controversial figures such as Benny Hinn also held healing and revival meetings in Hong Kong, influencing local churches.

From Resistance to Experience

Speaking in tongues, Dr. Cheung said, has long been a major dividing line between Pentecostal/charismatic and evangelical churches. “It’s a huge and often heated issue,” he noted.

At first, he was cautious about tongues, partly because he observed arrogance among some who claimed the gift. But he prayed privately to receive the gift himself. Eventually, during a summer camp, while alone in prayer, he experienced speaking in tongues for the first time.
“It was very peaceful and sweet. My relationship with God felt intimate,” he said.

He was also skeptical about “falling under the Spirit,” thinking it was sometimes staged. But when his wife experienced it genuinely—falling without anyone pushing her—his view changed. Later, at a Rodney Howard-Browne meeting, he himself experienced being overcome by the Spirit.

“I felt a strong, non-physical force push me forward. It was like being immersed in a river, washed clean,” he said. “The people around were shocked—‘Pastor Cheung fell!’—especially because I had publicly said I didn’t believe in it!”

That encounter, he said, renewed both his personal life and ministry. “It made me a pastor again—with a shepherd’s heart. My wife even says it’s like she married a different man.”

Evaluating Evangelical and Charismatic Strengths

Though academically trained in traditional theology, Dr. Cheung acknowledges the weaknesses of many charismatic churches—especially their lack of biblical teaching.
“Many emphasize experiences but ignore whether those experiences produce lasting spiritual fruit,” he said. “If someone has only experiences but no life transformation, it leads to spiritual pride.”

He likens the relationship between Scripture and the Spirit to “fuel and fire.”
“The Word of God is the fuel; the Spirit is the fire that ignites it. When you have both truth and the Spirit, you become powerful. But without a foundation in truth, the fire is just a ‘false flame’—it burns bright for a moment but doesn’t last.”

He urges charismatic churches to root themselves more deeply in biblical truth, and evangelical churches to be more open to the Holy Spirit. “If we do not emphasize the Spirit, where does our power for ministry come from?”

He believes evangelicals with solid biblical training who experience the Spirit can have a more enduring and balanced impact.

The Charismatic Landscape in Hong Kong

According to Dr. Cheung, Hong Kong churches now fall into three general categories:

1. Those that firmly oppose charismatic practices and view them as heretical.

2. Evangelicals who remain open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

3. Charismatic churches, ranging from moderate to extreme—some even drifting into heresy.

He notes that Pentecostal and charismatic churches are highly diverse. Some Pentecostal churches even oppose tongues, partly due to their independent governance. Others suffer from divisions caused by personality conflicts among strong leaders.

While the Assemblies of God teaches that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of Spirit baptism, many other charismatic groups, including the Foursquare Church, do not.

Overall, Dr. Cheung observes that Hong Kong Christians have become more open to mentioning the Holy Spirit in prayer—something once taboo. However, he still cautions that some charismatic churches remain too experience-driven and lack sound teaching.

A Bridge Between Two Worlds

Having personally experienced both the intellectual rigor of evangelical theology and the renewal of charismatic faith, Dr. Cheung sees himself as a bridge between the two.
“There are many things about our faith that we don’t yet understand,” he said. “We must keep learning and stay open to God’s work in our lives.”

He concluded the interview with a prayer:

“Lord, help the churches in Hong Kong. There is still much confusion and disagreement about this issue. May You guide us so that people from different backgrounds and denominations may engage in more open discussion, mutual learning, and deeper understanding.”